


She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing

by Arctic_Cyclist



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman Incorporated (Comics), Batman and Robin (Comics)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Child Abuse, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 04:52:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6409516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arctic_Cyclist/pseuds/Arctic_Cyclist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.<br/>Mother's gonna make all your nightmares come true.<br/>Mama's gonna put all her fears into you.<br/>Mama's gonna keep you right here under wing.<br/>-Pink Floyd, "Mother"</p>
            </blockquote>





	She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing

**Author's Note:**

> A little drabble exploring al Ghul family dynamics that was heavily influenced by Pink Floyd's "Mother", Batman: Death and the Maidens, and Supergirl #63. Non-graphic torture and deaths. Pre52.

Tim was the first to die. He'd been so sure Damian would return to the dark side that it was only fair to reward his beliefs. The silly little hit list plan wouldn't have worked even if Damian hadn't known about it.

The Gordons were next. Then the Butler. Father. Mother had debated sparing Cain but decided she wasn't worth the effort. He'd hesitated when it came to Brown and the Kryptonian female. (Girl, woman really. She'd called him her friend. He'd. He'd. It didn't matter what he thought or felt about her or anything else. It never mattered.) Then the other Kryptonians. The Martians. Anyone and anything was not useful to his family or endangered the Earth. Anyone who attracted invasion. Threats to the al Ghuls and their beloved planet.

The last was the best of them and the hardest for Damian. He hadn't wanted to terminate him. Not him. Never him. But want and need are different things.

He didn't weep over Grayson's corpse. No. 

But if he screamed soundlessly in a the crimson hued water of his bath. Well. That wasn't crying. Demons don't cry.

(Screaming. Screaming as the tender parts of him, his growth from his time in his Father's family was carved and burned away. Mother's. Mother's son. Mother's toy. Mother's creation. Mother's will was the only will that mattered.)

He didn't weep over the bodies of his father's family and friends. He didn't mourn sweets, bouncy castles, days out, family nights, movies, rooftop tag, and things done just for fun. That wasn't his life. That wasn't part of who he was meant to be. He understood that now.

(Screaming. Screaming until he understood. No one was coming. None of them cared. No one to save him. There was only Mother. Mother and the Pit and their bond of Life and Death and Rebirth over and over until he understood. Family. She was and is his only family.)

He is al Ghul. He is loyal. He is faithful. He is a loving and obedient son. Above all things he is obedient to his mother. To his family. 

(Mother? Mother, no. Mother, please! Please, Mother, why? Why, Mother? Mother, stop. Mother, please stop. Mother, not again. Mother. Mother, please. Mother. No. Please, Mother, please stop. Mama, please. I'll be good, Mama, I'll be good. Mama. Please, Mama, not again. I'm sorry, Mama, please not again. I'll be good, Mama. I love you, Mama.)

It was time to claim the world. Just as she desired.

(I love you, Mama. I'm sorry I hurt you, Mama, I won't leave you again. Mama, I love you, Mama. No one else, Mama. I only love you, Mama. Only you matter, Mama. I love you.)

Just as she desired.

**Author's Note:**

> As I was reading through old comics with Talia I was struck by how controlling and abusive Ra's is. In fact, all the al Ghuls except for Ra's' unnamed but much loved uncle will go to any length to control and manipulate each other. They also have serious boundary issues when it comes to what they can do with and will do to each other's bodies which is taken to an extreme with Damian. Knowing that parents will raise their children the way they were raised it's actually very in character for Talia to treat Damian the way she does in canon and in this story. 
> 
> One of the most important character traits of Ra's that has been implied to of, and realistically should be expected to have been passed on to his children is his fear of being alone. He fears that his children will leave him for someone else. There's an entire Shadow of the Bat issue that explores how Talia wants to leave him but can't and how Ra's fears she will and is willing to go to any length to prevent it. Of course she would feel the same way about Damian especially since she did betray and defy her father for him.
> 
> Since the Lazarus Pit worked for Nyssa's breaking of Talia there's no reason to assume it wouldn't work for breaking Damian.


End file.
